An experts’ view into the emerging sunrise sectors in agriculture and the multitude of opportunities it presents for youth of the country. It also focuses on the grassroot innovation incubation for entrepreneurship development.

1. Jayantha Gunasekera
Practical Action Sri Lanka
NIABI 2012
2nd Global Agribusiness
Incubation Conference

2. Opportunities for youth and
women in agribusiness
Three different streams of opportunities
• Farming enterprises
• Non farm enterprises along the value chain
• Agro enterprise services and input provision

3. Market map

4. Opportunities
• Along the value chain
• Diversifying crops – market orientation
• Formation of clusters for economies of scale
• Bulking – sorting – channeling to different
markets
• Small scale processing - competitive
advantage
• Local markets - innovation

5. Opportunities
Business service and input supply enterprises
• Seed production enterprises
• Fertilizer, pesticides supply enterprises
(organic trend)
• Technology service provision
• Information services
• Financial services

6. How can incubation concept
pursue this task
• Huge scope for promoting business service
and input supply enterprises
• But what about farming enterprises
• They are remote, scattered, and small scale
• Is Virtual incubation an option
• Experience from Sri Lanka

7. Experience from Sri Lanka
‘Rural Enterprise Network’
• A Social Marketing
Organization established in
year 2002.
• addressing a common and
critical barrier to sustainable
livelihoods: access to
markets, information and the
skills required to do so.

8. Facts
Network: over 1000 small producers and
farmers linked with REN for markets and
technical assistance
Product Range: 42 Products dehydrated
vegetable & fruits, Palm products, Value
added Spices, Traditional Rice, Herbs,
Processed fish products, pickles, Bottled
and canned curries and Handicrafts.
Market Links: 18 exporters, 3 super
market chains, 12 Spas & Ayurvedic
shops, 18 mini super markets etc.

9. REN services
• Technology
– New product development
– Quality improvement
– Value addition
– Packaging
• Market Access
– Facilitate market linkages
– Promote group enterprises and common
branding
– Market promotions
• Research & Studies
– Sub-sector /value chain analysis
– Market studies
http://www.rensrilanka.org

10. Thank you
Jayantha.gunasekera@gmail.com
0094 715345550